


Yet Another Caviar Caper

by 2020nofear



Series: Carmen/Julia series [2]
Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Action, Dances and balls, Dancing, F/F, Fighting, Kissing, Romance, caper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2020nofear/pseuds/2020nofear
Summary: Carmen has to make sure that the last tins of rare beluga caviar get served this time - but could temptation get in the way of a good caper?
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Series: Carmen/Julia series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1675780
Comments: 8
Kudos: 219





	Yet Another Caviar Caper

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I'm learning along with the characters here.

After Jules’ icy response to Carmen’s remark about the charity gala, she hadn’t brought it up again. She told herself she was respecting Jules’ pride but really, she admitted, it was her own she was protecting. Still, she had to plan for the fact that Jules probably would show up. A potential complication.

A really cute complication though…

The plan, Carmen! Get it together! Countess Cleo isn’t going to let that caviar go, so neither should you! She stared at the hotel blueprints but all she could see was Jules’ face. All she could hear was her voice. She wanted to scream.

Carmen went upstairs to the gym. It was the only way - she’d have to punch and plan. She stared at her knuckles as she wrapped them. How to keep V.I.L.E. out of the way long enough to serve the caviar? She had an advantage – V.I.L.E. needed to make off with the goods, whereas she only needed them to last until dinner. She stretched and faced up to the bag. The key location would be the kitchen – BAM! She mapped it out in her head. There was one fire door – BAM! – and some walk-in cool storage – BAM! Could the tins be held anywhere else? BAM-BAM-BAM! There wouldn’t – BAM! – be any need – BAM! – for her to go up into the main event space – BAM! – at all – BAM! But that – BAM! – wouldn’t – BAM! – be any fun at all…

Carmen collapsed against the punchbag. Why was this so hard?

\-----

Carmen swept into the hall. She couldn’t resist. She’d had to forego wearing red – surely when they saw her dashing out with the cans last time the red dress would be what they remembered. She hoped. 

Black would have to do. Stealthy.

“I’m in.”

“Good. Zack and Ivy are in position.”

“Keep them out of trouble player. I don’t want that van anywhere near here until we’re ready.”

“It’s on the other side of the city, Red. Well, the other side of the country – this is Monaco after all.”

“Good, make it stay that way.”

The layout of the hotel was as Carmen remembered it. She glided across the hall, scanning the galleries.

“No sign of V.I.L.E.”

“Nor here. There nothing on the CCTV.”

“Keep looking.”

“You alright, Red?”

“I’m fine!” Carmen hissed. “Stay focussed.”

“Roger.”

She ducked down a corridor and crept into the kitchen. She scanned the room and gulped. Where were the cans? She spotted Ivy though, pouring potatoes into an industrial peeler.

“Ivy!” she whispered.

“Carm!”

“Where are the cans?”

“They moved them, to be safe!” They’re in storage somewhere in the back rooms.”

“You still got to them ok, right?”

“Oh yeah, we’re good to go. Just depends on whether V.I.L.E. find them.”

“Guess I’ll have to take care of that. Player! Find that storage room on the plans.”

“You got it, Red. Turn left out of here, then right, then it’s the third door.”

Carmen followed the instructions, satisfied herself that the cans were in place, then went back up to the main hall.

“Aha! Miss, er…”

Curses! Cornered by the Orphanage Foundation Chairman – again! He towered over her, and she crossed her fingers that he wouldn’t match her face to that of the dancing caviar thief. Over his shoulder, she saw a flash of green and peroxide blonde on one of the upper galleries. Tigress was here. An obvious choice really, given humiliating Carmen was part of the mission. Tigress had probably requested it. This could play right into Carmen’s hands, though.

She remembered that the Chairman was still waiting for her name. Surely, he’d remember her if they ended up dancing.

“Er… Ruby! Ruby… er… Santa…”

“She’s with me.”

Carmen had never been so pleased to be interrupted. Soft, but clipped and confident, she’d recognise Jules’ voice anywhere.

“Er, yeah, that’s right.” She hardly dared to look round. Her heart was pounding. Jules laid a hand on her arm, and she finally turned to face her, barely daring to believe she still existed.

“Ah, of course! Miss Argent, forgive me! You ladies enjoy yourselves.” He grinned broadly. Carmen could forgive being patronised for the sake of the mission, and let Jules sweep her away.

“Why are you always rescuing me?”

“So we can dance, of course.” Jules stood, arms apart, one low, one high. She wants to lead, huh? Well, Carmen could let her, she had rescued her after all. She stepped into the hold and let Jules, and the music, lead her out onto the dance floor.

“This is very public.” She wasn’t scared, just surprised.

“ACME aren’t here. Besides, I’m meant to be recruiting you.” For a split second Carmen panicked. Had the whole thing with Jules had been an ACME scheme? But Jules winked reassuringly.

“Heh. Keep trying. By the way – new glasses?”

“Yes. I lost them.” Jules blushed. Cute. “On a rooftop.”

“Haha! Oops!” Carmen pushed her shoulder playfully.

“Anyway.” Jules was all business now. She leaned closer and whispered, “any sign of V.I.L.E.?”

Carmen nodded her head – a tiny movement – toward the balcony where Tigress was now standing, watching them.

“And the caviar?”

“Safe.” Carmen leaned closer. She could feel the peach-fuzz of Jules’ cheek against her own. “Safe elsewhere. Those cans are decoys.”

Jules gasped. “We have to let her take them?”

“Exactly. Player, any other V.I.L.E. operatives?”

“Just her.”

“I thought so, she never learned how to share. We’re free to dance until she makes a move.”

“Sounds perfect.” Jules smiled at her. Man, she could get used to that.

“My turn to lead though.”

Dancing was Carmen’s comfort zone, but she found being that close to Jules’ freckled face without kissing her a bit trying. She tried to relax and let the music take over.

“Red!” Player hissed in her earpiece. “Tigress is on the move.”

“Right. Let’s go!” She steered them out the hall, retracing her steps to the storeroom. The corridor was empty. She kissed Jules on the forehead before breaking the hold and easing open the door.

“Carmen Sandiego!” Tigress dropped from a ceiling hatch behind them, executing a perfect three-point landing.

Carmen felt Jules go for her stun gun, and reached out to stay her hand. “Leave her to me.”

“Found a friend, Black Sheep?” Tigress leapt claws first at Carmen, who dodged aside.

“Like you’d know what a friend was!” Carmen retorted, fists raised. She dodged aside again, letting Tigress hurtle through the storeroom door. Carmen and Jules followed.

\-----

Julia loved to watch Carmen fight. She always danced around her opponents so gracefully, her arms and legs extended in a fluid whirl. She predicted Tigress’ every move weaving around the attacks and the clutter stored in the room. She melted away from Tigress’ claws, feet and improvised missiles – Julia winced as a VCR smashed into the wall inches from where Carmen’s head had been moments before. Carmen skipped over a fallen filing cabinet, a lectern and a broken trouser press and positioned herself between Tigress and the pile of cans. Julia could see her arm muscles tighten even in the dim light.

“What’s wrong, they ran out of cat food on V.I.L.E. Island?”

Tigress screamed with rage, and launched a barrage of attacks at Carmen, who parried them more and more desperately, until she was backed into a corner. Tigress made gave one final kick, and Carmen collapsed against a pile of tablecloths.

“Carmen!” Julia didn’t realise she had screamed. Surely Carmen was ok? Surely this was part of the plan? Julia’s hand went for her stun gun again, but Tigress was already turning back toward the cans.

“Guess all your little lost sheep will be going hungry after all!” Tigress swept the cans into a sack and barged past Julia and out the door before springing back up into the hatch.

Julia dashed over to Carmen.

“Carmen!” Carmen’s eyes opened, and she grinned.

“She took the bait.”

“She could’ve hurt you!”

“I engineered myself a soft landing.”

Julia screamed in exasperation, and grabbed the front of Carmen’s dress in her fists. Carmen’s hand was at her face, her touch gentle.

“Hey, hey. I’m alright.” Julia could hear Carmen’s smile in her voice. She focussed on slowing her breathing. Carmen was still talking, but clearly her soothing tone was more important than the words. It was working. Julia regained control, but Carmen’s infuriating face was only inches from her own. Then they were kissing. Carmen tasted of sweat, but then her mouth opened, and she tasted of Carmen. Her hands were in Julia’s hair. Then she flipped them over, so Julia was pinned under her. Carmen’s body was hard and heavy under the soft, flowing material of her ballgown. She sat up.

“Player, is she gone?”

“She’s gone. Jumped on a speedboat.”

“Flashy. Get Zack moving with those cans. I’m hungry.”

“You got it.”

Carmen cut the link and looked down at Julia.

“Sounds like we have some time before dinner arrives.” She grinned. Julia pulled her back down on top of her.

“One question – what was in the cans?”

Carmen’s mind flashed back to a memory of Zack and Ivy frantically peeling the original labels off a mountain of cans.

“Cat food, of course. Reckon Countess Cleo will notice the difference?”

“Oh, shut up.” Julia pressed her lips to Carmen’s before any more wisecracks could come out of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, readers, it was I who forgot about the glasses meaning they got left on the rooftop.
> 
> Carmen's terrible case of NRE is very handy for letting her make bad decisions :) But she wants what you want, right?


End file.
